Two routers?
Two routers?
One 5ghz AP won’t suffice for the whole house. I require three APs to ensure consistent coverage across my entire living area with 2.4ghz (properly tuned and with enough frequency separation). This setup is needed in a space with many walls—1600 sq/ft single level plus an attached 1000 sq/ft garage—and one wall obstructed by metal kitchen equipment like the fridge, stove, and microwave that absorb signals. At 2.4ghz, coverage is limited to open spaces; if it doesn’t reach here, adding a 5ghz unit will only make things worse.
We are using 1200AC (2x2 MIMO & beam-forming) and two WRT 54G's boosted to about 1w output, equipped with high-gain directional antennas. I hold the proper licensing for higher power/ISM devices. There are 7-10 insulated rock wool walls running ~100ft across the house length (kitchen splits it in half). Some sections may be covered with foil-backed Styrofoam, which blocks signals. Certain devices handle these obstructions better than others; some paths through the house work well, while others suffer dead zones. To ensure full coverage for everyone—including guests and owners—I require three access points. The signal must reach beyond the house by at least 30ft, with some spots needing up to 100ft, and it needs to reach the driveway and workshop for vehicle or equipment use.
In short, yes, you can relocate another router anywhere in the house. Just disable DHCP on that secondary device and connect the main router to a LAN port instead of WAN. It will function as an access point. For better results, consider purchasing a dedicated access point like the one offered by UBTI, which allows ceiling mounting and optimized performance compared to general routers.